On Nov. 4last year, the residents of Washington County passed their RAP tax by just a couple of votes. This was a huge win for Recreation Arts and Parks — or was it? Now the challenge that commences is how to properly and most effectively spread this relatively small amount of funds to several organizations.

A quick review; RAP tax is a 0.1 percent sales tax (1 penny on every $10 spent) that is distributed by the county and its municipalities. Both non-profit and government entities may receive RAP funds. The county and municipalities review RAP grant applications and decide how RAP funds are allocated.

In 2013, Cedar City had the opportunity to renew its RAP tax after a seven year implementation. In spite of opposition from many groups, the initiative passed with a definitive 68 percent approval rating. I believe this overwhelming support came from the fact that locals felt these funds were spent on worthy projects.

Shortly after the initiative passed in Cedar City, two significant things happened.

First, city leaders began meeting to discuss using the RAP tax for operating expenses rather than capital, development and new projects. This would mean that the new tax that residents chose to tax themselves, could go to routine things such as tree trimming, playground surfacing or replacing the carpets in the Heritage Center. My question: When the residents voted to implement the RAP tax did they believe it would go to routine park improvements that should be funded through the city or other tax dollars?

The second thing that happened was the funds traditionally allocated toward Parks and Recreation facilities were reduced by 80 percent by city leaders. Capital allocated the previous year was $382,000 — this year it was $18,000 for a new commercial mower. The Cedar City Council was sending a message that RAP funds would be the source to make routine park improvements. Some of the projects approved last year in the RAP funding were a landscaping project at the golf course and repairs to the pavilion in Main Street park.

Another interesting move was reallocating funds from the trails development to construct bathrooms in the Canyons Park. The proposed location of the restroom is about 50 yards away from the existing restroom facilities in the Canyons Park. Although the funds were denied by the RAP tax Committee, a councilman proposed that the funds allocated to trails would revert back to the unapproved bathroom project in the Canyons Park if an agreement could not be reached with Union Pacific to purchase the rail line for a trail. If the committee recommended these funds to further the master trail plan, why would they revert back to a project that has not been in any plans, for a restroom so close to another, stewarded by a council member?

The intent of RAP tax was not to absolve city officials of the obligation and responsibility to maintain and even improve parks, trails and open spaces. The tax initiative was sold as “new and additional.” If local leaders intended these funds to go toward routine park repairs, this should have been made clear before the vote.

A 2013 local newspaper article stated, “Dan Rodgerson said he would defend every dollar that was spent on RAP tax.” I can’t make that statement any longer. This past year, nearly 50 percent of the RAP taxes were allocated for improvements which should be items routinely funded through operating and capital city funds. Some of these were landscaping at the golf course, park pavilion renovations, painting bathrooms and repairing drinking fountains.

It is difficult enough to ask local residents to tax themselves for a particular purpose like roads, police service, water and sewer. To bait the public into passing a RAP tax so that existing funds and resources can be switched and used for other city infrastructure is simply wrong.

If a financial crisis exists in Iron County, the RAP tax is not the cause or the solution. Within Iron County, two of the largest subsidized arts and recreation facilities are the Heritage Center and the Aquatic Center. Neither facility was primarily funded through RAP tax.

Parks, athletic fields, trails and entertainment complexes are not the “problem” or a burden on the tax payers. These are the reason the sales tax has increased and put local municipalities in a more comfortable financial position. Without these types of facilities, we could not host major festivals and tournaments which drive our economy. It would be difficult to be the “Festival City” without festival facilities.

To the residents of Washington county: Support your local RAP tax initiative but be cautious that local officials do not use these funds for something other than the intended purpose. Be careful that Washington County does not do what Cedar City is considering; cutting the general fund and capital budgets to parks recreation and arts because the RAP tax can pay for them. This is not what was presented to the voters.

Another local newspaper article wrote regarding RAP tax: “Dan Rodgerson said there is a long process that determines how the funds are spent and that it is open to the public.” Whether you support rap tax or not, it is here for another nine years, I highly encourage residents to get involved and assure these funds are spent in the way they should be.

If local officials need funds for road improvements, sewer lines, to finance a new highway interchange or fund a new animal shelter — find a different funding source, respect what was voted on. When residents choose to tax themselves, more eyes will be on how and where those funds get spent. If city leaders choose to spend them on routine city projects, I am quite sure the support will not be there in 9 years when the tax would be renewed. Passing a tax for Recreation, Arts, and Parks and using these funds to repair items that should be and have been repaired from municipal dollars is not what the citizens voted for.